Attractions

There is no shortage of ways to celebrate Halloween in Chicago. Whether you are looking for something family-friendly, something wild, something free, or something spooky, you’ll find it this month in the city. Here are some of the best ways to celebrate “Chicagoween” now through October 31st.

Franken Plaza
Daley Plaza becomes Franken Plaza from October 23 to 31st. Admission is free and events include circus shows, mask-making, arts and crafts, a farmers market, and other performances.

Franken Plaza's Orange Fountains

Pumpkin Patches and Pumpkin Picking
You don’t have to venture out of the city to get your hands on a great pumpkin to carve. Instead, just plan an outing to the Green City Market. The market remains in its outdoor location through October 31 before heading indoors for the season. For a true pumpkin patch experience in the city, complete with petty zoo, hay rides, cider and donuts, and pumpkin carvings, check out one of the many pumpkin patches located at parks around the city, such as Humbolt Park and Archer Park. Hours differ and admission ranges from $3-$5.

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Museum admission fees can range from a nominal donation of a few bucks, to over $20 per person. For families, that can really add up. But on Saturday, September 26th, hundreds of museums across the US will offer free admission, as part of Smithsonian Magazine’s Museum Day. To take part, you’ll need to register on the Smithsonian website and then print out your free admission card, which will get you and a friend into the museum of your choice absolutely free.

To find out which museums near you are participating in the promotion, just head over to the Smithsonian website, where you can search by location, browse by state, or view the complete alphabetical list of the hundreds of museums taking part in the day. Some of the museums include the San Diego Air and Space Museum, The Museum of Flight in Seattle, The Children’s Museum of Manhattan, and the Woodrow Wilson House in Washington, DC. A small portion of the museums will be closed on September 26th – for those, the offer is valid the following day, September 27th. Smithsonian Museums in DC will be free as always.

One pass may be used per household and you can only use it once for the promotion. The pass is only good for general admission and does not include special exhibits

My husband has been wanting to take a road trip with the family fo’evah. Yup, that’s how we hard core New Yorkers say it. Another thing about us hard core New Yorkers: we don’t take road trips…to far away lands…like the Rocky Mountains and beyond.  Nope.  We fly.

But, when you are a member of a family of five, it seems that road trips become the way to go, no matter where you are from.  So we ventured out on our trip, and saw several great places,  and the one place I was eager to see was Yellowstone National Park. I have always heard it’s a wonderful place to visit, especially with kids and that it is beautiful. And when we arrived there I could see that all of that was true.

We did several things while in Yellowstone.  We skipped pebbles on the lake, we camped, we saw caribou and buffalo, we even went for hikes.  But it was the scenery in Yellowstone that really made the trip wonderful. First let me just say, that to get from the East entrance of the park to the West entrance it took us about 2 hours.  It is, of course, huge.

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80 miles from Chicago, and less than 50 from Milwaukee, Lake Geneva is a popular Midwest vacation destination. While the homes on the lakefront may sell for millions of dollars, the town maintains an unpretentious, friendly attitude. There are several public beaches and boat rental vendors, ensuring that even those who aren’t descendants of the mega-rich can enjoy a summer out on the water.

Boat Tours of Lake Geneva

To learn more about the history of Lake Geneva and the families that made the area a premier vacation destination in the mid 20th century, take a two-hour boat tour of the lake. All of the boat tours are informative and entertaining, but none more so than the mailboat tours. Held every morning at 10am from June to October, the tours allow guests to go along on a mail delivery run with the “mail girls” of Lake Geneva.

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Noah Webster House

By Molly G. @ The Bumbles Blog

If you’ve ever wondered where on earth the words we use get their pronunciation, spelling and definition from, Noah Webster is the man for you. A visit to the Noah Webster House in West Hartford, CT can teach you a little about that as well as provide insight into everyday colonial life.

The museum exists in the childhood home of Noah Webster whose structure has remained intact and exhibits scenes true to his time there. The guided tour through the four rooms of the home provide good examples of life in the 1700’s. They focus heavily on weaving, looms, clothing and cooking – which were the known major functions of Noah’s family.

Very little on the tour is told about the politics of the time or Noah’s famed pursuit of all things language. Noah’s history of the creation of the dictionary and his life’s passions about language, politics and copyright protection is instead told in the introductory video prior to the tour in a reproduction one room classroom, as well as in a discovery exhibit beyond the gift shop, which is excellent.

If you live locally, the foundation offers monthly activity programs for children the first Saturday of each month which focus on arts & crafts from the time of Noah’s childhood. Their activities for birthday parties, camps or field trips seem to be very good as well. They also sponsor adult Tavern Nights to showcase games of that century, wine tasting classes as well as holiday events, such as a fun filled Father’s Day Breakfast that is used for fund-raising.

There is a small garden tucked in front of the home next to noisy South Main Street, as well as a beautiful old Copper Beech tree in the back of the property which seems more of an idyllic setting to relax under for a while to discover the lessons of language from Noah Webster.

QUICK HITS:

• COST = $7 Adults, $4 Kids, Free under Age 5, Discounted Rates to Seniors & Students.
• DURATION = Tours last approximately 1 Hour.
• HOURS = Brief, 1PM – 4PM daily, Closed Tuesdays & Wednesdays
• ENVIRONMENT = Family friendly. Handicap accessible on first floor only.
• ACCESSIBILITY = By car.
• WEBSITE = http://www.noahwebsterhouse.org
• FUN FACTS = Noah wanted to be a lawyer but his family couldn’t afford it so he became a teacher instead – he founded Amherst College. Noah was very active with the Founding Fathers but was not elected an official representative at the Constitutional Convention because he was critical of CT’s financing habits in the Revolutionary War. Politics never change.

Raymond James Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Bucs, is host to the 2009 Super Bowl XLIII

As the clock ticks down toward the long anticipated Super Bowl XLIII, Tampa is putting the final touches on festivities leading up to the big match. The elaborate schedule of events includes celebrity autograph sessions, football clinics, football card shows, parties, concerts, bike days, golf classics, fireworks, and a game day half-time extravaganza that features Bruce Springsteen. But the game is not the only excitement in town. After the Super Bowl champions have been crowned, visitors will be delighted to discover that the Greater Tampa Bay area is home to hundreds of attractions, festivals, and cultural events. From the big city glitz of Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater, to the dozens of small towns that comprise the metro area, Tampa Bay has something for everyone.

Dr. Beach named Caladesi Island the #1 U.S. Beach in 2008

Along the Gulf shores and on the barrier islands, dozens of pure, white sand beaches beg to be discovered. Several have made Dr. Beach’s list of top ten beaches in years past, including Caladesi Island, where thousands of unblemished shells wash ashore each day.

In addition to spectacular beaches, Tampa Bay is home to unique theme parks, professional and non- professional sports teams, fabulous shopping, museums, music venues, abundant parks and preserves, cultural activities, great nightlife and some of the best dining in Florida.

Some of the more popular attractions include the following:

Billed as the world's longest continuous sidewalk, the 4.5 mile long Bayshore Greenway provides scenic views of the bay and Tampa's modern skyline. A favorite with walkers, joggers, runners, skaters, and bikers, the path starts on the north at Columbus Statue Park and ends at Gandy Boulevard. Photo courtesy of Tampa Gator, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/

SHOPPING, DINING, MUSIC, AND ENTERTAINMENT:

• From Downtown Tampa, hop on the trolley and head over to the Channelside District, near the Port of Tampa. Channelside has been the center of Tampa’s waterfront since it was opened in 2001, merging shopping, entertainment, dining, and the arts into a single complex.
• Chosen by LIFE magazine as one of “America’s 21 Wonders,” Tampa Theatre is a spectacular 1926 movie palace. The theatre hosts indie and classic films, concerts, special events and tours.
• The St. Petersburg Pier, known for its five-story inverted pyramid shape that juts out into Tampa Bay, offers fishing, boat rentals, shopping, dining, entertainment, weekly festivals, and is home to a small aquarium. A replica of the HMS Bounty used in the 1962 movie starring Marlon Brando is frequently docked at The Pier. More recently this same ship was used in the filming of sequels to Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean.
  

  St. Petersburg's Pier Complex appears to float on Tampa Bay. Photo courtesy of Texxsmith: http://flickr.com/photos/texxsmith/1261895898/sizes/o/

• Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center provides a venue for a wide variety of world-class events, include one of the nation’s leading Broadway series, grand operas, concerts, performances, and events.
• Ruth Eckerd Hall, located in Clearwater, hosts performances ranging from world renowned classical artists and dance companies to Broadway musicals and pop stars.
• The Ford Amphitheatre, a unique open-air concert facility under a one of a kind canopy, is the site of the 2009 NFL Pepsi Smash Super Bowl Bash, which will showcase award-winning musical sensations Rihanna, Enrique Iglesias, Fall Out Boy, and Lifehouse.
• Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tampa features 3,300 gaming machines, 50 poker tables, multiple bars and a nightclub.

CULTURAL ACTIVITIES:

Known for its ethnic diversity, the Tampa Bay area offers unique cultural experiences:

• In 1885, a prominent cigar manufacturer named Vicente Martinez Ybor moved his cigar factory from Key West to Tampa, Florida. For the next 50 years, millions of cigars were rolled in this neighborhood known as Ybor City. Although the cigar factory has long since closed, the area has redeveloped into a popular night club and entertainment district. During the day, tourists can watch an authentic Cuban cigar roller at work and take in the sights along historic 7th Avenue. After dark, the area comes alive with live music and restaurants serving authentic Cuban cuisine.
  

  Centro Ybor, a family-oriented shopping complex and movie theater that opened in the former home of the Centro Español social club, is shown here with TECO Line Streetcar crossing in front. Photo courtesy of http://en.wikipedia.org/

• In the late 1800’s, when it was discovered that money could be made from the sponges that carpeted the seabed of the Gulf of Mexico, experienced divers from Greece were brought to Tarpon Springs to harvest the plants. As the industry thrived and grew, so too did the Greek population. Today visitors can experience this Greek influence at restaurants and shops scattered throughout the area and attend any number of Greek events, including Epiphany, celebrated every January 6th with the blessing of the waters and the boats.
• The delightful small town of Dunedin, located just north of Tampa, was settled by Scottish families in 1899. Evidence of this Scottish heritage is everywhere. Both the high school and middle school have pipe and drum marching bands and adult residents play in the City of Dunedin Pipe and Drum Corps. Each year, Downtown Dunedin hosts more than 50 events, including the annual 9-day Highland Games and Festival, where athletes compete in ancient Scottish sports. A Celtic Festival features Scottish-influenced music, dancing, food and fun, while the shops that line Main Street offer a variety of Scottish goods for sale.

THEME PARKS:

• Busch Gardens Africa (also known as Busch Gardens Tampa Bay) combines world-class thrill rides and live entertainment with a19th century African-themed park where visitors can explore the treetops on a zipline and see exotic animals up close.
• Slides, waterfalls, and waves abound at Adventure Island, Tampa’s 30 acre water park.

Graceful turrets adorn the historic Tampa Bay Hotel, which today is home to the Henry B. Plant Museum. Photo courtesy of the Plant Museum.

MUSEUMS:

• In its heyday, the Moorish architecture, opulent furnishings, and spectacular tropical gardens of Henry Plant’s Tampa Bay Hotel were a magnet for celebrities and VIP’s. Today this National Historic Landmark is home to the Henry B. Plant Museum, where the life and accomplishments of railroad magnate Henry B.Plant are celebrated.
• The SS American Victory, a 1940s-era merchant cargo vessel which served during World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars, has been preserved as a museum ship in Tampa, Florida.
• The Tampa Museum of Art collection includes 20th century and contemporary art and a renowned collection of Greek and Roman antiquities.
• MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry) in Tampa is the largest science center in the south. The 400,000 square foot facility is home to Florida’s only IMAX® Dome Theatre, a Planetarium, the Science Works Theatre, the newest and largest childrens’ science center in the nation, and a myriad of traveling and permanent special exhibits.
• The Museum of Fine Art in St. Petersburg contains the only comprehensive art collection, extending from antiquity to the present, on the Florida west coast.
• Located in St. Petersburg, the Florida Holocaust Museum houses an actual box car from Gdynia, Poland that was used to transport victims of the Nazi regime to the concentration camps.
• The Salvador Dalí Museum boasts the largest collection of Salvador Dalí works outside Europe. The museum is currently located on the campus of the University of South Florida in St. Petersburg, however plans are underway for a new facility.

SPORTS:

• The Tampa Bay Lightning, commonly referred to as the ‘Bolts,’ is an NHL ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida.
• Reigning 2008 American League Baseball Champions, the Tampa Bay Rays, are based in St. Petersburg, Florida.
• The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (often shortened as the Bucs) football team is based in Tampa. The team plays at Raymond James Stadium, which is the site of this year’s Super Bowl XLIII.
• The Honda Grand Prix, an Indy Racing League IndyCar Series event, is held in St. Petersburg each spring. This year’s race is scheduled for April 3-5, 2009.
• Tampa Bay Downs, open from mid-December through early May each year, is the only Thoroughbred race track on the West Coast of Florida, and is one of America’s oldest and most well-maintained racetracks.

In addition to the spectator sports listed above, a wide range of participatory sports are available. Drop a line from a pier or an in-shore boat or hop aboard a day charter to try your hand at deep sea fishing. Canoe or kayak the waters of the placid Bay. Enjoy a round of golf at any of the areas numerous golf courses. Go for a horseback ride, soar over the city in a hot air balloon, or skydive from a small plane. Or simply enjoy a leisurely walk or a day hike on a trail in any of the hundreds of state, local, and national parks that are scattered throughout the Tampa Bay area.

ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS:

The 500,000 gallon coral reef tank at the Florida Aquarium. Photo courtesy of Florida Aquarium.

• At Tampa’s Florida Aquarium visitors can follow the journey of a drop of water from one of Florida’s fresh-water springs to the Gulf of Mexico. Exhibits include a swamp/river area, a simulated beach, and a coral reef in a 500,000 gallon tank.
• Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa was voted the #1 Family Friendly Zoo in the US by Child Magazine. It features a larger collection of Florida species than any other zoo and has a hospital for Florida manatees where injured animals are rehabilitated prior to being re-released into the wild.
• The Big Cat Rescue in Tampa is an educational wildlife sanctuary that is home to more that 150 exotic cats, most of whom have been abused, neglected, or abandoned.

In truth, it is impossible to thoroughly investigate the Greater Tampa Bay area during a single vacation. With all the major attractions, ongoing entertainment, and a year round calendar of special events, a person could spend a lifetime and still not see it all!

Article by Barbara Weibel of Hole In The Donut Travels

Visitors to Dunedin, a small town of 37,000 residents located along Florida’s Gulf Coast, inevitably come away with a strong sense of history. Although the town began life as ‘Jonesboro’ in 1870, by 1882 residents agreed to adopt the name Dunedin, which better reflected the town’s strong Scottish heritage. Early in its history Dunedin became one of Florida’s chief seaport and trading centers, as it was home to the largest fleet of sailing vessels in Florida. Today the nearly four miles of picturesque waterfront remains a focal point for the community, although its docks and moorings are now home to sailboats and all manner of pleasure craft rather than working vessels.

The entrance to Dunedin's two-block Main Street

Through the years, Dunedin has been the site of numerous other firsts:

• The amphibious tractors that played a decisive role in the Pacific theatre during World War II were assembled in Dunedin
• Frozen orange juice concentrate originated here
• The “Pram” sailboat racer was fist built in Dunedin
• The town was the first home of the PGA (Professional Golfers Association)
• The first radio signals from Pinellas County were sent from Dunedin
• The oldest continuous garden club on Florida’s west coast is the Dunedin Garden Club.
• The famous television ratings firm,  A.C. Nielsen Company, has located its master computer in Dunedin since 1972

Dunedin's Main Street plays host to numerous special events sponsored by the Downtown Merchants Association throughout the year

Even the graceful entrance to Main Street, the painstakingly preserved buildings in the two-block long central business district, and the architecture on residential side streets recall the past. The Dunedin Historical Society has designed a walking tour of the town’s historic sites, including the Douglas home and Andrews Memorial Chapel, both of which have been placed on the National Register of Historic Sites through the efforts of the Society. An admirable collection of artifacts is also on display inside the Historic Society, which is housed in the old Atlantic Coast Line Train Depot on Main Street.

The Dunedin Historic Society is located in the old Atlantic Coast Line Depot on Main Street

To further enhance its appeal, Dunedin offers a wide array of events throughout the year, including a full complement of holiday activities between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The town’s Senior Awareness Fair is held in January, and the Downtown Merchants sponsor Mardi Gras in February. When April rolls around it’s time for the annual Highland Games, conducted in the proper Scottish tradition, as well as Friday night films that are screened in Pioneer Park at dusk. May brings the Hog Hustle, and the Dunedin Sprint Triathlon is held each June. In September, boats gather for the Dunedin Cup and Kiwanis Regatta, while in October visitors from all over the state converge for Dunedin’s annual Oktoberfest. In November it’s a week-long Italian American Reconciliation event, and in November the Downtown Merchants get back into the swing of things with the ‘Dunedin Wines the Blues’ event. Band concerts, choral concerts, and art shows are scheduled throughout the year, and concerts and fireworks are always scheduled for the 4th of July.

As if all that would not be enough to satisfy the most demanding of tourists, Dunedin is also home to two stunning beaches that are located just a mile outside of town, Honeymoon Beach State Park and Caladesi Island, the latter of which has been named the nation’s most beautiful beach and may well offer the finest shell collecting in the country. With all this, plus bike trails, birding paths, great restaurants, and comfortable B&B’s, it’s no wonder the town bills itself as “Delightful Dunedin.”

Photos courtesy of Barbara Weibel

Article by Barbara Weibel of Hole In The Donut Travels

One of the 6,000 orchids on display at Selby Gardens

A graceful statue reflects into the Koi pond

Best known for its collection of 6,000 orchids, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, Florida is a non-profit institution established for the research, conservation, education, and display of tropical plants. More than 150 scientific expeditions to rainforests around the world have contributed to Selby’s collection of 20,000 plants. A day at this open-air museum offers visitors a wide range of experiences. Paths wind through 9.5 acres fronting Sarasota’s crystal blue Bayfront, passing through distinct garden areas that include the tropical display house with its lush rain forest, a towering bamboo pavilion, the Banyan grove, and the cactus and succulent garden. Kids love to the Koi pond, the outdoor butterfly garden, and the collection of Poison Dart Frogs, while adults are especially attracted to the Christy Payne Mansion, a Southern Colonial house on the grounds that is on the national Register of Historic Places and regularly hosts botanical art and photography exhibits.

Beautiful flowers abound throughout the open-air museum

Rainforest creatures sculpted of lights are scattered throughout the gardens during the annual Lights In Bloom event. Photo courtesy of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.

Selby Gardens is stunning any time of the year, but each December it becomes a fairyland. During its annual Lights In Bloom Christmas event, the gardens are illuminated by light “sculptures” of butterflies, orchids, and birds. Sparkling, rainforest themed lights create a living Bromeliad tree and “G” scale trains run through the Banyan trees. The mansion is decorated with Christmas trees from around the world and events include cookie decorating, storytelling, face painting, and visits with Santa on select days.

Selby Lights In Bloom is open from 6-9 p.m, Wednesday through Sunday, December 11-28.

Photos not otherwise credited courtesy of Barbara Weibel

Article by Barbara Weibel of Hole In The Donut Travels

G.WIZ, the Gulfcoast Wonder and Imagination Center in Sarasota, Florida

G.WIZ stands for Gulfcoast Wonder and Imagination Zone, and the name couldn’t be more appropriate.

At the Harmonograph, each swing of the balls creates a one-of-a-kind design

At the heart of this unique museum are six permanent exhibits:

• Habitat: With its collection of resident snakes, box turtles, hissing cockroaches, and pond fish, this zone teaches about Florida’s native inhabitants.
• Tech Zone: Adults and kids alike love this zone, where they can interact with tools like screws, levers, pulleys, gears, and hydraulics to learn about the mechanics of things.
• ExploraZone: Build bridges and structures with giant magnets, bend voices with speaking tubes, make a bolt of lightning at the Plasma ball, hear someone whispering across the room with the giant whisper dishes, or create design in motion using a pendulum motion at the Harmonograph.
• Wave Zone: Experiment with light and sound waves with the laser guitar and laser harp, where you make music without touching a string!
• Body Zone: Test your speed, strength, flexibility; measure your height, heart rate, and how high you can jump.
• Mindball: Perhaps the most popular zone of all, Mindball let’s partners compete against one another to see who can move matter with their mind! (Hint: the person who is more relaxed wins)

At Mindball, participants strap on headbands that monitor brain waves and try to push the small white ball over to their opponent, using only their minds and the art of relaxation

Artifacts from the tomb of Egyptian King "Tut" were on display at G.WIZ during 2007

In early 2006, the museum board decided to expand the museum offerings, adding a series of traveling exhibitions that have to date included “Dinosaurs,” “Ice Age Florida,” “Tutankhamun,” and “Bodies Revealed.” Currently on display at G.WIZ through February 8, 2009 is “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition,” which features real artifacts recovered from the famous shipwreck.

G.WIZ is located on the bayfront of Sarasota, Florida, off US-41 (N. Tamiami Trail) on Boulevard of the Arts between the Hyatt Sarasota and Van Wezel Performing Arts Center. The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

Photos courtesy of Barbara Weibel

Article by Barbara Weibel of Hole In The Donut Travels

Although one of the rules at the Key West Butterfly and Naure Conservatory is to not touch the butterflies, if you stand very still, moths and butterflies of all sizes, shapes and colors will land on your head, shoulders, and arms and cling to your clothes.

Visitors can identify between 50 and 60 species of butterflies on any given day in the Conservatory, and over the year, approximately 75 species are represented. The butterflies come from farms in the tropics, where they are bred in captivity. On the farms, the eggs are hatched and the caterpillars fed until they pupate into a chrysalis. The chrysalises are then shipped to the Butterfly conservatory and placed in an incubator that sits behind a glass wall, allowing visitors to watch as mature butterflies emerge from their chrysalises and spread their colorful wings to dry.

After a short rest the new butterflies are released into the main Conservatory, a climate-controlled, glass-enclosed habitat that looks like a giant greenhouse. Inside a tropical paradise awaits: lush tropical plants surround a creek that is home to box turtles, and a variety of colorful birds flit from tree branches to feeders, sharing the ripe fruit that is set out as food for the butterflies.

In the morning you may see many butterflies feeding or basking in the sun. Later in the day some butterflies, like the Owls, become active while others start to roost. The Owl butterflies are the largest in the Conservatory, with a wingspan of up to eleven inches wide. On the other end of the spectrum, determined viewers can often spot the Oak Leaf Miner, a tiny moth with a wingspan of less than a quarter of an inch. And since most butterflies live an average of only ten days, every visit to the butterfly house is a new experience.

In addition to the Butterfly and Nature Conservancy, Key West offers a multitude of interesting activities and attractions for the Florida visitor.

Photos courtesy of Barbara Weibel

Article by Barbara Weibel of Hole In The Donut Travels